Protective means for automobiles



r Llf Feb. 1 192?- E. JACOESGN PROTECTIVE MEANS FOR AUTOMCBILES Filed Nov. 24, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l I INVENTOR (j) BY' L y f Feb. 1,1927'. 1,616,126

B. JACOBSON PROTECTIVE MEANS FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Nov. 24, 1924 2 sheets-sheet 2 @15T-F4] T JILy-' INVENTOR Patented Feb. 1, 1927.

uscirne stares Parar r BIRGER JACOBSGN, QF YQBK, v1\T Y., OF-TW'OTF1FTVHS TO JMES GILBERT.. MOUNT vaarten. Year.

rnornorrvn Marius Fon anroivronrnns Appucanon mea November 24, 13,24. seriai No. 751,801.

thereof are removed.

@ne objectofthe invention is to provide l a frame coeitensive `with the body' Aof-fthe vehicle whenthe top and windshield are removed therefrom, adapted to be 4engaged with the usual fastening means, whereby such separable parts are attached to the vehicle in the normal operationthereof.

Another feature of the'invention relates to the providing of a guard screen stretched over the frame to cover the exposed part of the vehicle and edectively prevent piilfering of tools, lamps or other valuable material therefrom.

Another feature of the invention 'relates to the provision of a Isheet of'flexilole ymaterial for effectively preventing damage-.to the upholstery and the car during shipment.

i Still another feature off-the invention-relates to the provision of a -sheet-of-fiexilole material sufficiently large to enclose the sides of the vehicle, andthus ,offer a protection against undesirable damage to thefinish of the vehicle.

ther features will appearfrom the `following description takenv in rconnection with the accompanying drawings, which show in a somewhat diagrammaticway, illustrative embodiments of the present invention, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective View ofan Aautomotive vehicle of the touring car,-'type, 'having the top and windshield removedand havingl one form ofmyk invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a 4plan view with parts broken away of the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 2 Figure 3, is a section-taken onthe-line 3 of Figure 2;

Figure el, is a section taken on the line of Figurel;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a modidismantled ,as has sheen described.

lied'form ofi the invention with parts broken away;

Figure 6 is a front View of an automotive vehicle showing .a modified form lof.. the invention applied thereto;

Figure Tis a rear View of an automotive vehicle showing theuprotective means of.. my inventionapplied thereto; i i

rFigjrrre-S'fis a 4detailed@view .of one ofthe supportsmounted on lthe-vehicle.

It 4is Aunderstood lthat .this invention has reference particularly to automotive .vehicles fof-the open-bodytype or so called tour- 'ing carV and .-roaclsterniodels. Suchl models are usually constructed'. with .the usual vehicle body comprising.upholstered .seats Vfor the .use of the passengers, .and with afolding top having hows kand braces, whereloythe top may be extended `for the protection of the passengers from Ithe .weather during the operation ofthecar. Itgis understood that such tops may4 `he readily; folded Idown when weather conditions V,pern'iit ,Such vehicle 4bodies also usuallyanclude windshieldsof Vconventional'1ty.p.e,` positioned proximate to,

but Aover .the vdash .of the vehicle, :and in front ,oflthepassengers The headlights or lamps of the vehicle are also readily 4Sep.aralole-from the car 'liittures upon which-they `are `mounted. 'Ehefradiator'cap is also removable. It is understoodV that `these elements rof the Ivehicle are readily 4separated from the vehic'leloody and the `"present yinvention contempla-tes such separation during the shipment` .of the. vehicle.

Referring-to Figure 1 there is shown an automotive vehicle of the open model type It is understood that the vehicle comprises aloody 10,'l1aving a .dash 11 ,and lfront seat 12,

.forming collectively afront compartment 13 between the :dash 11 and .the yfront seat 12, and having a rear seat 14, forming a. .rear compartment 15 :between the front 'seat 12 and the rear seat'll. It will he appreciated that the removal .of the windshield yexposes a pairof sockets .such as 16, which are provided for the standards ofthe windshield, and thatone ofv these sockets is located on each sideof the car in proximity to the dash 11. .Similarly there is providedifor the support of the top a pair of loracketssuch vas 17, one on each side of the car and adjacent lthe rear compartment 15. As illustrated in detail in Figure 7, each 0f the said brackets is integrally mounted on a portion of the body 10 of the vehicle. Similarly, there is provided for the support of the folding top, a pair of brackets such as 13, each mounted on the side of the body near the rear end thereof. During the shipment of a car, the usual radiator cap (not shown) and the head lights are removed and may be placed in one of the compartments 13 or 15, or may be shipped separately as desired. rhe removal of the radiator cap exposes the opening or filler neck 19 of the radiator. The removal of the headlights, such as the headlight 20, relieves the respective fixture 21, upon which the headlightis mounted during the normal operation of the car. It will thus be seen that the vehicle when pref pared for a shipment as has been described, provides a number of points of attachment for an accessory in the form of protective means.

Referring now in detail to Figure 2, the protective shield of my invention may include a pair of spaced frame members such as 30, 31, substantially coextensive with the upper lateral edges of the vehicle. The said frame members 30, 31 are preferably constructed of a substantially rigid material such as wood or the like. The frame further consists of a pair of spaced cross members 32, 33, joining the lateral frame members 30, 31 at the ends of the frame members, and an additional cross member 34 is provided joining the intermediate portions of the lateral frame members 30, 31. A reinforcing member 35, extending along the longitudinal axis of the body of the vehicle is provided for imparting strength and rigidity to the frame structure. For automotive vehicles of considerable length, there may be provided an additional cross member 36, as indicated in Figures 1 and 2, but it is understood that this feature may be omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention. The cross members 32, 33, 34e and 36 and the reinforcing member 35 are preferably formed of a substantially rigid material, such as iron or the like. The several members forming the frame are joined together as shown in Figure 2, by means of suitable bolts or the like, as clearly indicated in Figure 4.

Stretched over the frame thus formed, is a guard screen Ll0 formed of metal wire interlaced and fastened to the lateral members by being nailed thereto. As indicated in Figure 3, the arrangement is such that the fastening devices 01 nails provided for the purpose of securing the guard screen 10 -to the lateral members 30, 31 respectively, extend into the lateral members in an upward direc- Y tion, so that such fastening means cannot be removed while the protective means is in place upon the vehicle body. For protecting the interior of the body from dust, dirt, etc., there is provided a sheet l1 of flexible material, such as canvas or the like, and fastened to the lateral frame members 30, 31 by being nailed or otherwise secured thereto. rllhe cross member 311 is provided with a pair of depending lingers or dowels such as illustrated in Figure #l and the cross member 34 and dowels 50 thereof, are so positioned with respect to the vehicle body that each doivel engages one of the sockets 16 in the vehicle body 10. Each lateral member 30, 31 is provided with engaging means comprising an element 51 formed to engage the respective brackets 1'? of the vehicle body 10, and hold down bolt 52, or the like is provided for securing the protective means in fixed position relative to the body. The rear portion of each lateral frame member 30, 31 is provided with means to secure'the protective means in place, upon the rear bracket 18 similar to that described with respect to the bracket 17.

rlhe forward part of the protector is preferably arranged to engage the mounting of the headlights as indicated in Figure 6. The protector is provided with a pair of depending supporting elements on either side of the forward end thereof each comprising an arm secured to the forward cross member 32 as by being bolted thereto and having at its lower end a clamp 61 arranged to engage the headlights support 21.

In the modified embodimentshown in Figure 5, the forward end of the protector is supported by means of a member 7() arranged to engage the filler opening of the radiator of the vehicle. A feature of the modified embodiment shown in Figure 5 is that the canvas covering V41 is extended downwardly as at 71 so as to protect the sides of the vehicle body. rlhe lateral edges 71 are preferably fastened for at least a portion of their length to the usual running board 7 2 of the vehicle body 10.

Thus it will be seen that l have provided a simple and eihcient protector structure to protect the vehicle body against the elements during shipments. By means of the present invention, expensive casings and boxes, for such cars are eliminated, thus reducing greatly the cubic measurement of the space occupied by the vehicle in shipment and reducing proportionately the freight charges and the costs of shipping such cars by steamboat. An important feature of the invention is that an inspection of the type of vehicle can readily be made by customs oliicials and others without having to open up any casing' or the like, and considerable time in shipping to foreign countries can thus be saved. The protector devices of my invention can be readily removed when the vehicle is delivered to the consignee and the car can be placed in service in a minimum length of time.

Thus the costs of shipping automotive vehicles in the export trade, are minimized, and convenience of handling greatly improved.

While I have shown and described preierred embodiments of my invention, I wish it distinctly understood that the scope oi' the invention is not to be limited thereby, reference being had'to the appended claims for that purpose.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. A shipping protector for an automotive vehicle, comprising a rigid shield extending from the radiator to the rear end of the vea. hicle and extending over the upper lateral edges of the vehicle, said shield having means engaging portions of the vehicle body to secure the shield thereto, in place of removable portions oi the vehicle.

2. A shipping protector for an automotive vehicle of the type having a separable windshield and top, comprising a rigid shield extending from the radiator to the rear end ot the vehicle and extending over the upper lateral edges of the vehicle, said shield being arranged to replace the windshield and top of the vehicleand having means for engaging portions of the vehicle normally engaged by the top and windshield.

3. The combination with an autonitbile having means to secure a windshield there to, of a rigid shipment shield adapted to be secured to said automobile in place of the windshield, said protective shield extending from the radiator to the rear end of the vehicle and extending over the upper .lateral edges of the automobile, and secured to said windshield securing means.

Signed at New York, in the county ot' New York and State of New York Novem ber, A. D. 1924.

BIRGER JACOBSON. 

